Let's face it: We all got pretty good at conquering boredom during quarantine. But just in case you forgot some tricks to cure boredom, we wrote them down — and added a few new ideas, from online games to organizing your pantry.
1. Try out that new hobby you've been thinking about.
2. Listen to a funny podcast.
Not in the mood for music? Have an upcoming road trip? Find a good podcast to listen to on your long drive!
3. Clean out your fridge.
Okay, so it's not the most fun activity, but having a clean fridge means an easier time finding the ingredients you need for dinner!
4. Camp in your backyard.
It may seem silly, but you're a short walk away from your bathroom and comfort of your home.
5. Get some fresh air and take a hike.
Tired of sitting inside? Hit the 3 o'clock WFH slump? Try going for a mini hike to clear your mind and get some vitamin D.
6. Add some new items to your bucket list.
Of course, the goal is to cross them off.
7. Dive into a new book.
Pick something that interests you and your friends and read together to discuss!
8. Organize your own trivia night.
Whether you like random facts, movie trivia, or are just obsessed with all things Friends, we have some trivia questions and answers ready for your next game night.
9. Play the Wiki Game.
This Wikipedia version of "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" will have you obsessed. The game generates two random Wikipedia articles, and you have to find the fastest path from one to the other through hyperlinks. It's also an addictively dangerous way of ending up down a fascinating Wikipedia rabbit hole, so you can procrastinate while you procrastinate!
10. Try to complete your own version of the "Hot Ones" challenge.
11. Volunteer your time and help someone in need.
12. Become obsessed with a paint-by-numbers masterpiece.
13. Paint all your cheap-o jewelry with clear nail polish.
It'll keep your faux gold and silver patinas from wearing off too soon.
14. Attend a virtual event, like an online concert.
15. Pick up the phone and call a loved one.
16. Try meditating.
17. Send your long-distance friends surprise postcards.
Snail mail! It's coming back and going to be a thing. Spend an afternoon at antique stores hunting down vintage postcards, or find the cheesiest ones possible and send them off to friends. You'll feel good about yourself.
18. Listen to an audiobook.
19. Watch TED talks to learn something new.
Here's a playlist of the most jaw-dropping TED talks ever given. There's no way you can still be bored while your jaw is dropping! From a brain scientist who researched her own stroke in real time to the astonishing performance of a "Mathemagician," these talks will cure your boredom instantly.
20. Try new makeup or a new skincare routine.
21. Build a Lego set.
It's even easier than a puzzle!
22. Attempt some intricate nail art.
Requires immense concentration. Guaranteed boredom buster.
23. Start a vinyl collection, if you haven't already.
24. Take your bicycle out for a spin.
25. Go to XKCD, click "random," and read smart, hilarious comics for hours.
XKCD has been going since 2006, and it's just as good as it ever was. There are plenty worse ways to waste time than by scrolling through 12 years of short, funny comics that make you think and sometimes even teach you something.
26. Clean your makeup brushes.
27. Play your favorite video/online games from when you were a kid.
28. Take a luxurious bubble bath.
29. Refresh your middle and high school knowledge.
Homework for Grown-ups is a brilliant (and handsome) workbook that will make you less stupid.
30. Watch as many documentaries online as you can find.
Is it really procrastinating if you're arming yourself with information and making yourself a hundred times more fascinating at cocktail parties?
31. Go to a museum — or if you can't, take a virtual tour of one.
32. Take the scenic route on your roadtrip.
33. Paint your different keys with nail polish.
Now, your keys are easier to identify and much prettier.
34. Travel down a Wikipedia rabbit hole or two.
Got an hour to spare? Why not read some crowdsourced articles about, like, crazy mysteries that have never been solved!
35. Grab a deck of cards and play some games.
36. Rearrange all your books.
By color, perhaps? Or what about by genre? Or by books you've read vs. books you have yet to read? Books are your friends.
37. Work on a DIY project.
38. Binge-watch your favorite series again.
39. Turn yourself into a Manga character.
Maybe the Manga version of you will be less bored. But if you're still bored after that, why not make a Manga version of your crush and make them kiss?
40. Take some online quizzes.
We know where you can find a few of those...
41. Ikea-hack a piece of your furniture.
There are literally one million of these on Pinterest.
42. Do an at-home wine or beer tasting.
43. Learn the words to a new song — or an entire album.
Make your showers a little better by belting your favorite tunes.
44. Try to stump the amazing Akinator, who can guess any character you are thinking of.
Akinator is literal SORCERY. It will terrify you. Think of any real or fictional character, and the Akinator will ask you questions and then guess accurately EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Prepare to be amazed.
45. Get into origami.
Another activity that requires thought, analysis, and creativity. Once you master the basics, try something even cooler, like one of the tutorials from Star Wars Origami.
46. Organize your pantry.
47. Plan a themed movie night featuring your favorite genre.
48. Bake some sweet treats.
49. Make your own candles.
50. Spend seven minutes doing this workout.
It's the Scientific 7-Minute Workout, but feel free to try any home workout you want.
51. Throw a potluck dinner for all your friends or neighbors.
52. Explore a new place you've never been to in your town.
53. Play an incredibly addictive game where you guess locations in the world from Streetview pictures.
Geoguessr shows you a picture of somewhere in the world and lets you pick a point on a world map to see how close you can get to the actual location of the picture. A strangely addictive way of seeing the world in all its variety.
54. Do a crossword puzzle.
They make you smarter. True story. Start with this fun book of Will Shortz puzzles.
55. Treat yourself to a little retail therapy.
56. Pack your own picnic.
57. Read some of the most interesting answers to some of the most interesting questions.
Want to know facts about the United States that foreigners don't believe until they go there? Or whether it's possible to make a real lightsaber? Or maybe you're interested in finding out who was the nicest president! Quora is a cornucopia of interesting questions you never thought to ask.
58. Rearrange your bedroom furniture.
59. Make booze more magical.
You could spend an afternoon with a boring old can of beer. OR you could unleash some culinary creativity by making boozy popsicles to share with your roommates or friends. Try Endless Simmer's Sex on the Beach popsicle recipe.
60. Get into list-making.
It's the most satisfying activity yet. There's the classic to-do list. But then, there are the aspirational lists — things you want for yourself, for your home, for your pets. You could even keep a list of activities to do when you are bored.
61. Tie-dye some of your clothes.
62. Try to survive this fun, funny, interactive Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy game.
Play this delightful interactive game based on the wonderful world of Douglas Adams. And whatever you do, Don't Panic.
63. Learn how to mix a cocktail.
64. Listen to different radio stations around the world from different eras.
Radiooooo is a "hit tune time machine" where you pick a country and a decade, and then listen to a curated playlist of songs that match your selection. It's endlessly fascinating to listen to music from different eras and locations.
65. Organize your closet.
66. Enjoy a night of stargazing.
67. Watch the sunset or sunrise.
68. Start a scrapbook.
69. Take a quiz to find out your true Myers-Briggs personality type.
Are you an introvert? An extrovert? Somewhere in between? Are you more passionate or more logical? More creative or more practical? This world-renowned personality test will help you get to know yourself, plus it's fun to take!
70. Go for a walk around the block.
71. Challenge yourself to finish a puzzle.
72. Show off your creative side by starting a journal.
73. Or begin writing a book!
74. Look up your full natal chart to understand your astrological personality beyond just your sun sign.
Just knowing your star sign is for casuals. Get the real goods on who you are according to the cosmos with the whole shebang.
75. Watch a live cam feed from the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Relaxing, awe-inspiring, and potentially terrifying.
76. Get physical and try out a new sport.
77. Dust off your old board games.
78. Learn a musical instrument.
79. Learn a new dance routine.
80. Discover your love language.
Words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time, and physical touch. These are all different ways of making people feel loved, and the ones that are effective vary from person to person. Understanding what works best for you and your partner and how you differ can be a powerful way of deepening your relationship. Also, it's fun to take personality quizzes!
81. Pamper yourself with a mani/pedi.
82. Channel your inner child and color in a coloring book.
83. Learn a new language.
84. Read inspiring, funny, moving, and powerful letters from interesting people.
Letters of Note is an endless trove of wonderful, fascinating, and historically important letters. Read a few of these to feel inspired.
85. Try out a new hair color.
86. Take up knitting.
87. Challenge yourself to try a new recipe.
88. Plan your next trip.
89. Figure out your birthday song.
This site will tell you what song was number one the day you were born! Don't you want to listen to the song that your parents were jamming out to when you first emerged into the world?
90. Check out Bobbi Babalooney's website.
Just do it. It's impossible to describe, but it will make you smile.
91. Enjoy a long nap.
92. Have an instant spa day by taking a bubble bath or doing a face mask.
93. Create a custom playlist.
95. Go thrifting around town.
96. Buy a sewing machine and start making/altering your own clothes.
97. Step into a time machine and go back 10 years to play Flappy Bird online.
98. Get on TikTok and just scroll for hours.
99. Join Letterboxd and log all of the movies you've seen.
100. Learn how to play chess.
101. Finally, plan any future projects you've been excited to work on.
This article contains content from Michele Bird, Leonora Epstein, and Jack Shepherd. It was compiled by Kelly Rissman.
This post was enhanced using AI-powered creativity tools. Take our new AI-powered quizzes here.